At the Human Rights Council, the representative of Belgium, Axel Kenes, criticized the Saudi violations of human rights.

In his statement on June 19th 2018 under the second item of the HRC’s thirty eighth session, Stevens has expressed his country’s concern over the imposition of human rights defenders mainly on women’s right, to repression in Saudi Arabia, which undermines and impedes the continuity of reforms claimed by the government in the country.

Likewise, Stevens pointed out that a number of countries including Saudi Arabia are using anti-terrorism laws to legalize the violations; despite that the war on terrorism could not free the countries from its obligations regarding human rights.

The Saudi government had launched a series of arbitrary arrests campaigns which included female and male human rights defenders, while the official media circulated in their reports that they will be tried on charges of spying and under the anti-terrorism laws.

Before the Human Rights Council, the Belgium representative stressed on the importance of the countries commitment to their obligations in order to ensure the universality of human rights. He also confirmed his country’s support to the Office of the High Commissioner and all of his work.